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Roaring Back!

For the first time in more than a half-century, a cable car lettered for the O’Farrell, Jones & Hyde line has gripped the cable under San Francisco’s streets. Cable car No. 42, retired and sold off after the 1954 cable car system ‘consolidation’, officially returned to service on June 3, 2005 with Mayor Gavin Newsom on the running board and dozens of other mayors from major world cities onboard.

O’Farrell, Jones & Hyde cable car No. 42 rocketed onto its ‘home turf’ with passengers for the first time in 51 years. Filled with mayors from around the world, the car is turning from California onto the non-revenue trackage on Hyde Street, part of the line’s original route from 1891 to 1954. Mayor Gavin Newsom holds the spot of honor on the left-front running board. Steve Ferrario photo.

Resplendent in the multiple coats of hand-rubbed maroon paint applied by Market Street Railway volunteers (the gold lettering and striping hand-applied by master craftsman Fred Bennett for Market Street Railway) and operating smoothly with the grips, trucks, brakes and rigging installed by Muni’s dedicated cable car maintenance team, car No. 42 completed an eleven-year restoration odyssey as it was officially christened the ceremonial cable car of the City and County of San Francisco, reserved for special events such as UN World Environment Day 2005, where it made its debut in its new role.

Sunning itself in the June 3rd noonday sun on the tail track at the Market Street end of the California cable line, the car drew admiring stares from passersby. Then, two alternate-fuel buses pulled up, carrying delegates to the United Nations event, including more than 60 mayors from major world cities. They climbed on No. 42, with Mayor Newsom taking the front left running board position, from which he waved and slapped palms with motorists who rolled down their windows to greet him. All the way, the car’s progress was marked by the melodic strains of the rear-end bell, played specially for the occasion by World Champion cable car bell ringer Frank Ware–spared gripman duties for the ride just so he could make music. A regular Cal cable car followed with other delegates and special guests.

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Who We Are

Market Street Railway is a non-profit organization with 1000 members, founded in 1976. Our mission: Preserving Historic Transit in San Francisco.

We advocate for historic streetcar and cable car service improvements and expansion, educate people about the importance of attractive transit in creating vibrant, livable cities, and celebrate the wonderful historic streetcars, cable cars, and buses owned and operated by Muni, a service of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA).

We also operate the free San Francisco Railway Museum across from the Ferry Building at 77 Steuart Street, open Tuesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Our group’s leaders were the driving force in making vintage streetcars a full-time part of the San Francisco scene in the 1980s and 1990s.

While we support Muni’s historic transit activities, we are not part of Muni and we receive no government money whatever. We rely instead on private donations and membership dues to help keep San Francisco’s past present in the future.

This website, our member newsletter, “Inside Track,” and our social media outlets bring you the latest news and information about San Francisco’s historic streetcars and cable cars.